Limnology of two lake systems of Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska: Part II. Light penetration and Secchi depth

Abstract

Seven large lakes in the Naknek River drainage and four in the Alagnak River drainage within the Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska, were surveyed once a summer during the period 1990–92 to determine baseline limnological conditions. All of the lakes are oligotrophic based on Secchi depth (SD) transparency and light penetration. Overall, SD transparency varied from 4.4 m to 17 m, the vertical light extinction coefficient (Kd) ranged from 0.411 m-1 to 0.070 m-1 and the depth of 1% light penetration (I1%) varied from 11 m to 67 m. However, because of greater light scattering, the percent of photosynthetic radiation (PAR) at SD was nearly twice as much in Battle Lake (30.4%) and Naknek Lake (32.8%), compared with the other nine lakes (mean 16%). Consequently, the ratio of I1% to SD was about 4 in these two lakes compared to a mean value of 2.6 for the other lakes. However, Battle Lake is a ‘deep blue’ calcium sulfate lake with little phytoplankton, whereas Naknek Lake contains some inorganic glacial flour and volcanic ash, as well as planktonic algae, but where sampled exhibits minimal turbidity. Biomass of planktonic algae (indexed by total chlorophyll concentration) explained most of the variation in SD (r2=0.66), Kd (r2=0.75), and I1% (r2=0.85). In contrast, neither color nor turbidity were significant predictors of any optical variable. Considering all 11 lakes, there was a significant linear relationship between SD and both Kd (r2=0.80) and I1% (r2=0.72); however, most of the unaccounted for variation was attributed to Battle Lake and Naknek Lake. Although changes in water transparency are often linked to changes in algal biomass (chlorophyll), simple measures of SD transparency alone may not be appropriate for assessing whole-scale watershed or regional changes toward oligotrophication or eutrophication in lakes of the remote and pristine Katmai National Park and Preserve.